


Lhura Personal Logs

by cinnamont



Series: My Star Trek RPG Posts [2]
Category: Star Trek
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-07-24 09:29:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7503093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinnamont/pseuds/cinnamont
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>RPG Posts of my Romulan character, Lhura t'Ael.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bringing the Detainees

Lt(j.g.) Lura t'Ael  
Chief Tactical/Security  
SB T'Plana Hath  
\------------

== Prisoner Transport ==

=^=Approaching T'Plana Hath,=^= came the pilot's voice over the comm system. There was a slight jolt as the shuttle dropped into sublight.

Lhura opened her eyes. She hadn't really been sleeping, merely resting a little after spending most of the trip studying the station they were approaching. Sparing a glance to check that the two Nausicaans were still safely bound to their chairs, Lura stood up to join the pilots in the cockpit.

"We're cleared to dock," the helmsman informed when he saw her enter.

Lhura leaned over to look out the forward viewports. *Sacred Fire!* she thought. Never had she seen a space station so large and never so close. And it only got larger until it filled the window and then swallowed the shuttle whole. By all rights, when she had been studying its defenses earlier, it should have been to plan how to breach those defenses and destroy it, but thru a crazy turn of fate, she was instead charged with its protection.

Thru strict discipline, she kept her facial expression even but her stomach was churning. To go from a Ambassador-class starship to this! There were tens of thousands of people here, many of them civilians. Lhura had had a hard enough time learning to adapt to Starfleet. How was she going to deal with civilians? And for the first time, Lhura wondered if Captain Kallstrom had lied to her.

He had been bluntly honest when he told her that he was transferring her off the USS Ataturk. Try as he might, he hadn't been able to trust her and for the sake of her career, she would be better off with commander who would give her a fair chance. Leaving the meeting, a piece of overheard conversation of a human woman making a joke about a breakup line - 'it's not you, it's me' suddenly made sense. But now Lura wondered if he was setting her up to fail. Was he throwing her into the deep end in the hope she'd drown?

The part of her nature that was governed by Fire warmed to the challenge and she drew herself up to her full 1.83m (6'0). Well, she'd not go down easily. Her defiance must of shown because the co-pilot glanced nervously at her and then back to her console.

"Have station security meet us at the docking bay," she said by way of parting and returned to the main cabin.

== TPH, Docking Bay ==

Acting Chief of Security, Arnold Domenici had brought 4 large guards with him, not wanting to take any chances with the Nausicaan's fierce reputation for bad-temper.

Lhura bent over to release the locking mechanism, but before she did, she locked eyes with the dominant of the pair. "We're not going to have any trouble from you now, are we?" she said quietly but meaningfully.

Resentment burned in his eyes. From her straight black hair to her pointed ears and upswept eyebrows, everything about her said Vulcan-- except for the answering gleam in her own dark brown eyes that silently promised that if he wanted a fight, he'd get one. The Nausicaan's gaze drifted up to the ridges on her forehead, prominent even under her short bangs that unmistakably stamped her as Romulan.

Domenici watched carefully as the guards escorted the detainees off the transport.

"You'll need this." Lhura offered him her PADD.

"No need, we already have their transfer orders," Domenici answered.

"Not theirs, mine. I'm Lieutenant J.G. Lhura t'Ael... your new chief of security."

Domenici's eyes snapped to her and she waited for him to absorb this. "We-- weren't told you were coming."

"It happened quickly. My ship happened to be at Starbase 47, when my transfer orders came in. It made sense..." she avoided saying 'it was logical'... "for me to come over with them."

"Right," Domenici was still processing the change, but then remembered himself. "Sorry, Lieutenant. I'm Domenici, Acting Chief... or was. I was Assistant Chief of Security before."

By the way his voice trailed off, she understood he was looking for confirmation from her. "You still are, Domenici."

== Main Brig ==

They got the Nausicaans into their holding cells without incident, but Lhura suspected that wouldn't last. She got the feeling they were bidding their time.

"Did Capt Greener say what he wanted to with them?" Lhura asked.

Domenici answered, "Only that he wanted them held for questioning."

"I'll notify him that they've arrived."

"You can't. I mean, Capt Greener just took the Vichy out. Cmdr Williams, our XO, is off station too."

Lhura frowned. That didn't give her a much to do, except to inspect the troops. Recalling her cultural training, she decided to let them get the news of her arrival first.

"Please," she remembered to say, a nicety that would never be used with a subordinate in the Romulan military, "take my things to my office while I arrange for quarters." She handed him her carry-on bag that she had taken with her from the shuttle.

"Aye, Lieutenant." And Domenici hurried off to move out of her office, his reign all too quickly over.

== Main Ops ==

 

The Bajoran saw the puzzle come together in Lhura's eyes. "This part is classified. The only reason I know is because I was left in command here in Ops. But coming in as our Security Chief, you should know. The Nausicaans were overheard discussing something possibly related to this anomaly. We hope to find out exactly what. The recording is in that report I handed you."

Deryx breathed in deeply and sighed. "Ok, I said in brief, but that was a handful. I remind you much of that is classified. Do you have any questions?"

"No, I'll study this material," she answered. Listening to all that he had told her, Lhura knew she had a lot of work to do.

"Ok, until the Captain gets back, which should be tomorrow morning, keep an eye on those two and get yourself acquainted. Welcome aboard, Lieutenant."

"Thank you. I will see to it."

As Lhura departed Main Ops, she made a decision.

== Main Security ==

Impatient to begin now, an image of being able to proudly greet her new CO with information he wanted made Lhura smile inwardly. But that was thinking like a sub-centurion. Besides the Fleet Captain might want conduct the interrogation himself. Instead, Lhura found her second, Domenici. "I want to meet with you so you can brief me on the station's recent events. Later, I'll want to meet with senior officers of the department. But first, I want to separate the Nausicaans."

"Separate them?"

"Yes, into different cells where they cannot talk to each other," Lhura explained. She frowned, this should have been done sooner. They already had too much time to get their stories coordinated, but at least when they actually questioned them, they couldn't be sure that the other had broken down in an all-night session. "Have the night shift wake them periodically. I don't want them well-rested."

Before either could say another word, an incoming comm-signal whistled. Lhura tapped her combadge. =^="t'Ael here. Go ahead."=^=

The arrival of a Klingon ship was announced and they were beaming over a rescued Starfleet officer. *Klingon!* The old animosity between that race and hers flared briefly before she quashed it. She had to adhere to the Federation's policy of tolerance now.

=^="On my way, t'Ael out."=^= Lhura turned to Domenici. "Can you handle the Nausicaans?"

"Aye, ma'am," Domenici grinned.

"Good." And Lhura secured the PADD that Lt Deryx had given in a password-coded locker in her office.


	2. Action At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Psychotic shapeshifter on a personal vendetta against Commander T'Raina. Security called in to cleanup the aftermath.

== Main Ops ==

Ensign Kevin Lipke was fresh out of the Academy and the thrill of serving on the 'bridge' had worn off and now he was wishing for something exciting to happen. He didn't know what line officers already knew... be grateful for the quiet times.

The console of the tactical station beeped and the Ensign lit up when he saw it was a priority message. Reading it quickly, he dispatched a team. He needed to get on a team, he thought. That was were the action was. Not riding a console.

Following protocol, he opened a channel to Main Security to appraise them of the situation. Domenici answered.

"The Chief's in is a meeting," he said after the Ensign finished his report. He paused as he considered whether or not he should interrupt. "Have the team leader report to me as soon as he gets there. In the meantime, send a second team to cordon off the surrounding area."

"Aye, sir," Lipke responded and moved to carry out his orders. He'd joined Starfleet for the adventure, the kind he'd never find on the family farm. The killer thing was, he'd volunteered for OPS duty, thinking it was at the heart of it all. Brother, had he been wrong.

== Main Security, Later ==

The computer whistled an incoming comm signal. The Assistant Chief of Security tapped his combadge. -/\\- Domenici, go ahead. -/\\-

-/\\- Petty Officer Rolhinar. -/\\- came the strained voice on the other end. There was background noise that Domenici couldn't make out.

Several decks below, Rolhinar looked back at the young crewman losing his breakfast. They had managed to pull him back into the corridor before he could contaminate the crime scene. The Andorian couldn't fault him, no amount of years inured you to what was in that room. Even she couldn't keep the hoarse edge out of her voice. -/\\-Sir, it's a bad one. Multiple victims. They were... eviscerated.-/\\- Then she abandoned trying to clean it up with official language. -/\\-It's a slaughter house in there.-/\\-

Domenici swore under his breath.

-/\\-Power's out all over this level.-/\\- Rolhinar strained to see down the corridor passed their lights, her antennae rotated back and forth with her heighten tension. -/\\-Turbolifts are offline. We had to 'hoof it' down here, but I don't recommend a repair crew until we can secure the area.-/\\-

== Briefing Room ==

Lhura's PADD lying on the table before her beeped softly. A text message from her Second scrolled down the screen. A growing frown gathered as she read. She typed out a question. 'How recent?'

'Tricorder readings say less than 6 hours.' was the response.

*The killer could have hopped a ship out by now... or not,* Lhura thought. 'Seal off area. Get name/destination of ships departed 6 hours.'

'Done.'

Lhura's head jerked up sharply when she realized Cmdr Williams was calling her name. "Sorry, ma'am. It's a priority message. I need to take this."

Mumbling an apology, she excused herself from the table and stepped out into the hall. Tapping her combadge, Lhura said, -/\\-t'Ael to Domenici. Is Captain Greener there?-/\\-

-/\\-Negative. The message was from him but the room was sealed. Nobody there. We can't locate him.-/\\-

-/\\-He was going to meet Cmdr T'Raina.-/\\-

-/\\-Hang on,-/\\- Domenici said. -/\\-Computer, locate Cmdr T'Raina.-/\\-

Over the comlink, Lhura heard the unperturbed voice stated that she was not onboard.

-/\\-Power is down thru out the entire level-- -/\\-

-/\\-Are they being jammed?-/\\- Lura cut in.

-/\\-I don't think so. Comlinks and tricorders are working,-/\\- Domenici stated. -/\\-Most likely, the sensor pallets on those levels were taken out.-/\\-

-/\\-Very well. Send out a silent alert to all Security. Tell them to look for...-/\\- For what? A crazed murderer? -/\\-...anything suspicious. Especially outgoing passengers. Have them scan for any trace amounts of blood. I have to inform the XO then I'll meet you down there. Find the Captain and the Commander. t'Ael out.-/\\-

Lhura returned to the briefing room. She didn't take her seat but waited for an opening. "Commander, there's been an incident in the lower decks." And she explained all that she had learned and done thus far.

_\-- Cmdr Williams, anyone --  
\-- will backpost, replies if needed. --_

"Yes, ma'am. With your permission, I'll go there now." And Lhura departed for the nearest armory.

== TPH Bowels ==

Domenici met Lhura at the turbolift. He began with the good news. "We've found the Captain and the Commander. They're one deck down."

"Good," Lhura replied as she marched down the corridor, forcing her Second to hurry along after her.

"But we have to hold our position here."

Lhura did such an abrupt about-face that Domenici had to skid to a halt to avoid colliding into her. "Why?!" she demanded.

He explained about the orders from OPS and the new forcefield and Brolene.

The Romulan woman glared at him. *Don't kill the messenger,* she told herself altho she was sorely tempted to.

Not one to intimidate easily, Domenici persevered. "I've heard from Rolhinar. Her team is trained in forensics. They've ID'ed a couple of the bodies and they're related to the Commander."

"So these murders weren't random." It was more statement than question but Domenici nodded anyway. Lhura's anger dropped a notch knowing that the killer wasn't roaming the station, picking up victims at will. "And Brolene's a shapeshifter... and we're cut off from Rolhinar's team."

Again he nodded.

"Fine." Resigning herself to the sidelines, Lhura reassessed the situation. "In case this forcefield doesn't work I want guards posted at all possible exits. Before splitting them up, I want a password... that the shapeshifter won't know." Then remembering something from the Dominion War, "and hyposprays all around to do blood tests. Nobody comes out of that level without a test -- not even the Captain."

 

== TPH: Lower Decks ==

The room was foul. Even if the bio-hazard team were to gamma-scrub it down past the paint, it would still be foul. The echoes of what was done here would somehow still inhabit the walls of this room and there was no instrument that Starfleet Corp of Engineers could devise that could wash that away. Maybe only Sacred Fire could burn away the lingering screams of damned souls. Holy Water clean the open wounds. Mother Earth to receive and take back the broken bodies. *Elements guide them,* was her silent prayer.

She and Rolhinar carefully, almost reverently, lowered the bloodied remains into a body bag. Lhura had dismissed all the younger security guards, this was no place for them. Gratefully they beat a hasty retreat, leaving the senior officers to the grim task of cleaning up after a madman. No one spoke. They barely looked each other in the eye.

The body bags were placed on anti-grav stretchers and taken to the morgue where the morticians would do their best to make them presentable so they could be returned home for funerary rites.

As they saw the last one off down the corridor, Domenici said, "We can take it from here." He had said the same thing earlier, but Lhura was not about to ask another to do a job, especially a job like this, that she was unwilling to do herself.

She turned to look at the spattered walls and was on the verge of refusing again when he interrupted, "You have a 0400 meeting and likely it'll be another long day."

"He's right, Chief," Rolhinar chimed in. "Beside Bio-Haz has to do the rest. We've swept the area-- twice. No sign of anyone else. Our work is finished."

Lhura looked from one stubborn face to the other and gave up the argument. "Very well, have someone go by Cmdr T'Raina's during the night, don't disturb her but..." She stopped, suddenly. "...just make sure everything is... secure."

"Will do," Domenici answered.

Lhura bade them good-night and headed for her quarters lost in thought. That last order had been more than being thorough in her job and that disturbed her. She had actually felt concern, even tho the threat had past, she felt a need to protect. For an alien. An alien she hadn't even met.

Well, hadn't that be the reason she'd left home, to challenge the perceptions that Romulan children were taught at birth? To put old truths to the test. Hadn't she found that she could like some aliens? To care about them was merely the next step, wasn't it? Yet this revelation brought no joy. Was this another step that took her further and further away from home, a home she might not be able to return to. That had never been her intention.

She pushed the thought from her mind by turning back to business, something she could control. A murderer had smuggled several people aboard the station and slaughter them at will, tampered with systems - even planted a bomb - and all the while security blissfully unaware. Her department was in sorry shape! All thoughts of easing into a transition of leadership ended.

Lhura let plans push away all other unpleasant thoughts of the past and future and that foul room. And if she was lucky it would carry her into a few hours of sleep before she had to be up again.

== TPH: Lhura's Quarters ==

Lhura woke in a start, her heart racing. Disoriented, it took her a moment to realize where she was. It was a dream. Annoyed with herself, she checked the time.

0253 hours.

More than an hour before the meeting. She had wanted to wake early but not this early and lay back down, wondering if she could get back to sleep. After a few minutes, she gave up. Throwing back the covers, Lhura got up and paced the room and then to give her restless mind a focus, she learned the layout of her quarters in the dark. Should an emergency happen, the chief of security shouldn't be tripping over her own furniture.

But that was swiftly accomplished and Lhura was still restless. Briefly, she thought about visiting the gym, but discarded it. She didn't want it to become gossip in her department that their chief was having trouble sleeping. So she cleared a little space and began her exercise routine. Exercise always cleared her mind, but not tonight.

Random thoughts paraded across her mind, that accursed room in the lower decks, quickly she pushed the thought away. *Aehallh* [monster-ghosts] would attach themselves to the living if they could, if you dwelled on them too long. Don't think too long on the dead, children were taught, especially those who died badly. Don't wail loudly or they will be attracted to the sound. An image of Klingons howling over their dead flashed suddenly.

She thought of the Nasicaans in lock-up, the anomaly, of all that they still did not know yet. Lura increased her repetitions. She didn't like not knowing. What misfortune would happen because of what they did not know? Stepping up the pace again, she felt the satisfaction of the burn. What she really wanted to be doing was running, running through the back hills of home. She had been running THAT night.

If only she could go back in time and change that moment-- knock some sense into her younger self-- *what a fool she had been!* That moment that had brought her here. *what arrogance, what pride, what misplaced trust!* she thought in disgust. She was dwelling too much on the aehallh of her own past. But it was too late, they had already found her, sunk their little talons into the flesh of her back. She couldn't pry them loose and didn't believe that she would find any peace even if she did. So what difference did it make?

It made a difference to her peace of mind now. Lhura cast about for another train of thought and unfortunately settled on the Romulan Ambassador here on T'Plana Hath. An unwelcomed thought. She had been grateful that so far her duties had not brought her any where near him or his contingent. But she couldn't avoid him forever.

A picture formed in her mind, trying to look his guards in the eye. The hatred looking back at her, naming her traitor. Again she pushed herself to work harder. She hadn't seen another of her kind since-- since Journlk. Was he still alive? Had they given up trying to kill him? Had he given up his mad plans? Probably not. She wouldn't if she were him.

They had left her alone. Did they believe her cover story or were they just bidding their time? She missed home, like a physical ache in the chest. Lhura finally collapsed on the floor, gulping in air. It was thick and heavy and felt like drowning. She had meant to adjust the environmental controls but hadn't spent much time in her quarters.

Rolling to her feet, Lhura went to the wall panel. Still breathing hard, she leaned her forehead and while she entered in the new parameters. Gradually the air thinned out and the temperature warmed. She even adjusted the gravity until it fit a Vulcanoid's idea of normal. Not as heavy as Vulcan, the homeworld of her people before The Sundering. She had made her own Sundering without meaning to. What a fool she had been.

0334 hours.

Lhura headed for the shower.

 

______________________  
NPC  
Master Chief Arnold Domenici, Assistant Chief of Security  
Ensign Kevin Lipke, Ops Duty Officer  
Petty Officer Rolhinar, Forensics Team Leader, Andorian


	3. Cowan/McClelland: Heads Up Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A couple of Security guards play poker.

== Lower Decks ==

"Geez, aren't you done yet?" Petty Officer Cowan complained. It had been a long day of waiting while Cmdr T'Raina hunted down a psycho shapeshifter and then nerve-wracking late night sweeps of a deck where several gruesome murders had been committed. The place gave him the creeps and he wanted to get out of here, but they'd been given strict orders to wait until the bio-hazard teams and engineers had finished the last of the clean up.

"Man, leave him alone," his partner, Jimmy McClelland chastised. "If he gets the lifts working then we don't have to climb our way out of here."

"What the hell happened down here?"

"Search me," Jimmy answered.

"They don't tell us anything," Cowan agreed. "Some changling went psycho and we sit outside a forcefield. He's supposed to be dead and now we got a hole in the side of the station."

"There, give them, a try now and we shall see if the want to work"

"Hallelujah!" Cowan cheered. "Let's get out of here."

As the trio headed for the nearest turbolift. "Hey, you off-duty now?" Jimmy asked the engineer. "I could use a drink... after all this business."

"Yeah im off duty now and a drink would be great. Where can I go to get one?"

"New, huh? Don't worry, we know a place." And Cowan and Jimmy smiled at each.

== Promenade, CeeJay's ==

The trio made their way thru the crowd to the bar and placed their orders.

"By the way, I'm Jimmy. Jimmy McClelland." The fair-haired kid reached out to shake Powell's hand. "And the grouch here is Stan Cowen."

"A pleasure to meet the two of you properly. AH Engineering is so much fun for me. I live for it"

Cowen nodded. "So what's your story? How'd you get here?"

"Well, they posted me here after i graduated from my supplemental year at the accademy studying adavcned engineering manuals. This is my ffirst posting. I grew up mon Earth and have always wanted to be in space and this was a my big chance. Engineering is my liovely hood. I passed top 99 percentile at the accademy with several awards under my belt in engineering feats. What brings you two here?"

"Cowen was born Starfleet," Jimmy answered.

"That's right, 4 generations!" he said proudly. "Great-grandad fought in the first Romulan War. On the USS Saratoga, he pulled for 3 men out before the hull breached...."

Jimmy silently mouthed the speech by heart, holding up 3 fingers for emphasis, proving how many times he had to listen to his partner's stories. Cowan cuffed him in the back of the head. "Unlike you, who joined Starfleet 'cause no one else could stand his ugly mug."

"Look who's talking?!" Jimmy retorted. "As it happens, I could have gone to the French Culinary Institue."

"On a cooking scholarship, if you can believe that?" Cowan thought it was hilarious that he got paired up with wannabe chef.

"Yeah, but that was before... my best friend in high school had joined up. He got- he bought it at Wolf 359. That's when I signed up."

Cowan knew this was a sore spot with his friend and if they kept drinking, Jimmy could turn into a sad-sack. So he quickly tried to turn the direction of the conversation. "Don't believe him. Truth is he got a Dear John letter and instead of the French Foreign Legion, he ran away to Starfleet."

While he joked, Cowan put a comforting hand on Jimmy's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. Jimmy took the hint and shot back. "You're full of it."

"Interesting stories the both of you. How are your drinks, you can have them on my tab"

Cowan cracked a broad grin. "Now, that's what I like!"

"Careful," Jimmy warned. "I think he's got a hollow leg."

"That's quite alright. Now where were we?"

Luna shook her head and edged down the bar towards the three men chatting over their drinks. She paused to listen to the 'war stories' and shook her head again. Officers...

Smiling, Luna twirled a curl of blue tinted hair around one finger. "Evening gentlemen...how 'bout a game of poker to pass the time?"

Jimmy hesitated, thinking that the station had it's fair share of shark's looking for easy marks. "I don't know... it's late--"

"It's not late, it's just really early for the next day," Cowan contradicted, giving the girl a long once over. "Right, Powell?"

"Indeed, i'll sit in"

Luna's eyes danced. "I bet I can get a few others to join us as well." She turned to look around the bar.

"The more the merrier, that's what I always say." And Cowan looked at Powell and Jimmy silently encouraging them to accept.

"What, i said id sit in"

"Oh, goodness...where are my manners. Luna Deveraux at your service." she said with a mischievous grin. "And now for your names?"

"Powell"

"Cowan."

"McClelland-- Jimmy." He nodded at her.

Jermaine came to their end of the bar and refilled their drinks. "Don't trouble these officers, Luna."

Luna's eyes widened slightly and she gave the barkeep an innocent look. "Am I troubling you, boys?"

"Nah, Doll, you're just the kind of trouble we like," Cowan offered magnanimously.

"Troublin, hehehe, theres nothing troubling about thi young female hehehe were just gona play a few hands" Powell loved poker, he could bluff anyone and always like a challenge.

Luna laughed. "See, no trouble here, Jer...so you can just get back to work."

Jermaine gave the officers a wary look and retreated back to the other end of the bar.

"Don't mind him...he's a bit uptight. Grab your drinks and follow me if you will. There's a rather nice gameroom in the back."

"You lead, we'll follow," Cowan replied and Jimmy winced, knowing it was just an excuse to watch her walk.

Quite familiar with the ways of men and their most probable reason for placing her in front of them, Luna made sure she didn't disappoint them as she sashayed towards the game room in back.

Powell followed the men and the lasy to the back room watching each of them carefully, eyeing up his opponents. He pais special attention to the female

Luna took a seat at a round table and pulled out a box. She opened it on the top of the table and laid out several different decks of cards. "What's your pleasure, gentlemen?"

"The blue ones," Jimmy answered quickly before his partner could say something that might get him slapped. "Unless you'd like something else, Robert?"

"Blue will be fine. I like Blue" Powell smiled looking at his opponents again. He put his game face on

Taking up the requested cards, Luna laid them on one side as she put the rest of the cards back in the box and shoved them under the table. Then she opened the deck and started shuffling it with the ease of an expert, manipulating the cards like a pro.

Powell was mesmerised by the card dealing. It was amazing. This woman was mazing

Jimmy watched the way she handled the cards and again worried she was a local grifter. The Promenade wasn't their assigned post and they didn't the troublemakers. Maybe he should make an excuse to go talk to the bartender. When he looked up, Jimmy saw her looking back at him.

Luna smiled as she passed out the cards. "So, I know how to deal..." she said with a shrug.

"Mom said learn a trade. Always listen to Mom," Cowan said blithely as he picked up his cards.

Powell, looking at this gals obvious game face decided he was game for a few pieces of latinum and thought he could take her on So he decided to play ball and placed his poker face firmly on. "learn a trade hehehe, dealing was never a trade in England" he let out a slight chuckle

"If it were a worthy trade on its own you wouldn't see me waiting tables all day." Luna said with a smile. "Sometimes, though, fellows...a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do....to make ends meet."

Before too long, they attracted a couple new players, a Pakled who was in for a trade convention and tourist from Argelius II. A fresh round of drinks livened up the talk and all the we missing was a hazy smoke over the table.

"Hey, Robert, give me all your two's," Cowan joked, referring to the old game of "Go Fish."

"Go fish" Powell chuckled to himself. "You seriously think you can handle this ?" The question did not need an answer

"Is this a private game or can anyone join?" came a question from the doorway. It was a wiry, green-skinned man in a neat suit.

Cowan frowned slightly but didn't say anything, pretending to be thinking hard over his cards. He enjoyed playing up the bawdy part, but he wasn't as slow on the up-take as he let Jimmy think. He knew that Luna could be a pro but the way he figured it, better to lose half your pay check to a pretty girl with a wild side in a poker game than lose it just the same in an over-priced dinner in a shi-shi restaurant with a girl with no blue hair. And if she lightened the wallets of a couple of tourists a little, what was the harm? As long as it didn?t go too far.

But his good mood sobered a little with the entrance of this Orion. He doubted he was Syndicate, but still Orions had a reputation for nasty tempers. He hoped Luna had the good sense to know when to say when.

Powell didnt like the arrival of the Orion. It put him on edge. He looked at his cards again and quickly through 4 pieces of latinum into the pot ontop of the 40 he had just put "I see your 40 and raise you another 5" He was bluffing

"Orions...pirates all." Luna said coolly glancing up at the man over the top of her cards. She held his gaze for several minutes, then smiled. "Sure, gent, have a seat and I'll deal you in...but any funny business and your next drink will be your last."

Qoriq drew up a chair. "That's a threat?" he snickered.

Luna laughed. "What other threat might a poor, simple waitress offer? No worries, have a seat..." She laid her cards face down and dealt the Orion in, sliding his cards towards him.

Qoriq exchanged his latinum for chips and neatly stacked them in front of him. Very pleased to be part of the action, Qoriq privately considered himself quite the card sharp.

"Game's five card draw, boys..." Luna remarked, looking down at the cards in her hands. "Ante up."

Play passed to the left of Luna as each player placed his bet, passed, or folded.

Powell didn't like the arrival of the Orion. It put him on edge. He looked at his cards again and quickly through 4 pieces of latinum into the pot ontop of the 40 he had just put "I see your 40 and raise you another 5" He was bluffing

Qoriq would have liked to call but didn't have the cards and congratulated himself for having the patience and to fold. His moment would come.

The Pakled hummed and clucked over his cards and called.

"I fold." He had3 aces and 2 kings but couldnbt be assed to anoy anyone on the table. His time would come.

The first couple of rounds were taken by the Packled and the Orion. Luna smiled at the human men sitting around the table. "I don't know about you fellows, but I think we can do a lot better than this."

Powell was getting quit disgruntled at the amount of his earnings on a good hand. Lady luck wasnt with him that night, it was unlikely she would return to him at all yet still he played

Luna shuffled the cards again, everyone placed their bet and the hands were dealt once more. Cowan won the next hand and then quite mysteriously lady luck shifted to sit near Luna. She took the next three hands, smiling at the disgruntled looks from the Orion.

Powell was getting a bad vibe off of the Orion. It wasnt looking too good. Luna was foing slightly to well. Powell didnt like the look the Orion was giving

Over the next few hands, the Orion bet more and more aggressively and getting increasingly more short stacked. Even though he won a pot away from the Aurgelian, clearly it was Luna who was his nemesis. He lost another hand to her.

"More than luck, I'd say," Qoriq snapped. Turning to Powell mistaking his engineering uniform for security, he demanded, "Aren't you going to do something, Starfleet?"

"Since when is winning a few hands considered a crime?" Luna asked with a demure smile, one eyebrow arching.

"I am an engineer not a security officer and even if i was ecurity im off duty. This business is between you an her. You understand?"

The Orion grunted

Luna laughed. "Oh, c'mon...like it's the first time you've lost something."

"Good, now lets get back to the game"

Cowan was torn between shaking Luna for that cheeky remark or giving her a broad grin. "Aw, now, come on, it's a friendly game. Here, let me buy you a drink. Whatever you want, it's on me."

Qoriq didn't seem to know where he wanted to take this. The Starfleet man was nudging him to let it go. He didn't want to but wasn't quite ready to turn it into a fight.

Cowan took his momentary hesitation as agreement. "That's a sport! Hey Jimmy, since you're getting up, get us all drinks."

McClelland had been sitting back in his chair without any sign of moving, but he got the hint and got up. He came round the table to pick up Cowan's empty glass.

Cowan pulled on his uniform's tunic to tell him something. "And tell 'em, not so much ice this time." Jimmy nodded and started to straighten up but Cowan pulled him down again. "Hey and tell 'em..." he began and then yanking him close enough to whisper, "switch the Orion over to synthehol."

Playing along, Jimmy pulled Cowan's hand off his tunic before he could added anymore instructions and gave him a mildly irritated "Yeah, yeah."

Over at the bar, Jimmy waved for Jermaine Wilcox. He asked for another round for the party. "Only make it synthehol."

"I see." Jermaine replied knowingly as he pulled a small flask out from under the bar.

"We just need to cool it down a mite." Jimmy looked at the small vile that Wilcox produced from under the bar. "What's that?"

"This? It's a form of tranq. Knowing Luna the way I do I'd say you probably should try this." Jermaine replied handing him the flask. "Just pour a bit of this into your rowdy's drink and after a sip or two...depending on their level of tolerance...they'll be out like a light. It's perfectly harmless...just a bit of sleeping drought we've used before."

"Yeah, and they just sleep it off?" It didn't exactly sound up to Regs but if they could get the Orion back to his quarters, they wouldn't have to make a report at all. Jimmy grinned at the man. "Thanks!"

"No problem." Jermaine mumbled, though he was thinking, *If you'd have listened in the first place....*

Powell felt uneasy over the entire thing. he couldnt wait for his drink, a nice alcoholic beverage to go to sleep on. He didnt think he was expected at the briefing.

On the way back, Jimmy heard Cowan using his 'official' voice and knew the Orion wasn't backing off. He decided not to wait to use the trank. Stopping, he emptied the contents of the vile into the drink.

"Hey, drinks all around!" Jimmy announced cheerfully and distributed the glasses.

"Did you see that?!" the Aurgelian pointed at the Pakled. "He palmed those chips!"

The Pakled huffed and flushed. His mouth worked almost like a turkey gobble in his indignation.

Luna giggled.

"Oh for God's sake!" Cowan rolled his eyes heaven-ward. But it was a more earthly source he turned to for solace. He downed his drink in one shot.

Everyone began talking at once and Jimmy tried quiet them. That was it, time to call a halt to the game and Cowan stood up. The room spun alarmingly and everything blurred a moment. He tried to say something but couldn't remember what it was. It was like trying to move through molasses. Cowan sat heavily back into his chair.

Jimmy looked at his partner, wondering what was the matter with him. He was trying to focus but couldn't. "Cowan?" Jimmy called to him again. Cowan stared straight at him and then his head tilted back. *Holy crips!* Jimmy thought *I spiked the wrong drink! He's going to kill me.*

Powell burst out laughing. He knew something was up with the drinks and he couldnt help but laugh. "I think i'll call it a day ladies and gentlemen, time to cut my losses, this game has gotten quite out of hand. I think everyone should call it a nite and cut their losses now before anything gets nasty." He shot a hellish glare at the Orion.

"Good nite ladies and gents" And with that Powell left the game to the 'masters' and retired to his quaters

"Good night, Robert...perhaps another time." Luna suggested, her eyes dancing.

"What's wrong with him?" Qoriq demanded. "Was there something in our drinks?"

The Argellian and Pakled looked alarmed. Jimmy McClelland needed to think fast or he'd have a hellva lot of explaining to do.

"I dunno, possibly that..." Luna glanced off across the room. "...narcolepsycosis...we've had a few cases...highly contagious...."

"What?!" squawked the Pakled. "Don't Starfleet doctors--"

Picking up on Luna's cue, Jimmy cut in, "Well, he did skip his last physical. Probably, didn't want it on his record." For added effect, he stepped warily away from Cowan and wiped the hand that Jimmy had on Cowan's shoulder.

Qoriq pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket and held it over his nose and mouth. At that, the Argellian and Pakled forgot their argument and made hasty farewells, scooting out along the far wall.

"What about my chips?" Qoriq persisted.

"You're right," Jimmy said, and holding out the same hand he had wiped off as if to grasp Qoriq's arm. "I'll fill out an official complaint."

The fastidious Orion backed away quickly. "Never mind." And with that he made a beeline for the door.

Jimmy was hard-put not to laugh out loud as he turned back to Luna. "Thanks."

Once the two were out of sight, Luna burst out laughing. "No worries, luv..."

Cowan made some incomprehensible sound. Jimmy sighed heavily. He was going to catch it later. "How about helping me getting him back to his quarters?"

"Big strong starfleet officer needs help from a dimunitive lass." Luna teased. "Ah, well, since I'm off shift, may as well. If anything happens to the two of you Coy'll have me head..." 

Getting on the other side of Cowan, Luna helped Jimmy hoist his friend from the chair. Together they led the tranq-ed officer to his quarters...

 

_________________________  
Security NPC

PO2 Stan Cowan  
PO1 Jimmy McClelland  
Security Guards


	4. How to Flip a Nausicaan In 3 Easy Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lhura interrogates the Nausicaan prisoners.

== Main Brig ==

Her name was really Cnshogitltee but everyone called her Cincinnati -- the closest anyone could get to pronouncing it. She was the Head Guard for women's lockup but since most species couldn't tell the difference between the heavy-set, pig-faced Tellerite genders, she often leant a little extra muscle on the men's side. This paired her with her male counterpart, Chief Petty Officer Mutt Granger.

It was said that back in Toledo, Ohio, he must have been born a mini-linebacker that his parents knew to call him Mutt and that he would just grow into the name. Solid as a wall, thick tree trunk limbs and a face that looked like it had a close-encounter with a Mac truck... and nobody doubt that the truck got off easy. So it seemed like Destiny intended for these two to meet as they were quickly dubbed Toledo and Cincinnati, The Ohio Bruisers.

Just the same they brought a couple guards as backup to move this big Nausicaan. He glowered at them from his bunk, giving up trying to sleep as they came to wake him every so often. He knew it was a tactic to frustrate and weaken but the truly irritating thing was that it was working. Fatigue hung heavily around his awareness.

"Okay, time to move, big boy," Toledo announced holding up the hand restraints. "Stand up." And Cincinnati deactivated the cell's forcefield.

"I won't talk," Krrl growled.

"Good news," Toledo grinned. "Nobody's questioning you. We're moving you out of temporary lockup to permanent quarters where you'll be formally charged."

The Nausicaan's eyes narrowed. This had to be some kind of trick. "I don't believe you."

The guards chuckled. "Yea, go with that," Cincinnati recommended. And while he was trying to figure it out, she snapped on the shackles.

Krrl decided that they were bluffing and strengthened his resolve. "I won't talk," he repeated then silently cursed himself. Saying that made him sound weak even to his own ears but the fatigue was getting to him and that just made him angrier.

"You don't get it. We don't need you," Toledo explained as they led him down a corridor of small rooms. "Your pal gave it up. He's getting the deal... and you're getting the shaft."

Krrl kept tight-lipped.

"Why do you think they sent the second-stringers to get you?" And Toledo guided him around a corner and ahead was the turbolift.

A group of guards with Mrrkek, the slightly smaller Nausicaan, waited by the 'lift. Krrl saw the tall Romulan Security Chief place her hand on Mrrkek's shoulder -- almost friendly. His eyes roamed down and saw he wore no restraints. And when he looked back up he saw the surprise in his *friend's* face.

The Romulan woman must have saw it too because she turned around and saw him. She stepped forward, in front of Mrrkek, almost protectively. "No! You were suppose to bring him later," she reprimanded.

With that Krrl exploded with rage, lunging for the traitorous Nausicaan's throat. He screamed epithets and vengeful promises in their native language as the security guards swarmed him, struggling to hold him back.

Starfleet-issued boots slid across the smooth floor as the battle teetered on a knife's edge on who would win out until Cincinnati brought her baton to the back of Krrl's knee, collapsing the leg. He swayed off balance and they used it to sweep him into a little room off the corridor. The door snapping shut behind them.

== Interrogation Room 1 - Mrrkek ==

They had less trouble with Mrrkek who was so shocked at his partner's attack he hardly put up a fight as they hustled him into another little room. But it was slowly dawning on him what had happened.

"You set me up!" the Nausicaan accused.

"Yes, I did," Lura calmly admitted.

"He'll believe me!" Mrrkek tried to put up a brave front.

"You think so?" Lura queried as if to give it serious thought. "Shall we put you in a room with him and find out?"

He stared at her mutinously.

"If you think he's hard to convince, imagine what your - associates - are going to think when we hold him and let you go free."

His breathing stopped and then quickened. Lura let him contemplate the possibilities for a few moments. Then, "You have few options, and most have... nasty endings. Unless you cooperate. Then we *might* protect you."

The Nausicaan tried to hold his stance but finally broke and began pacing around the tiny room but came up against walls everywhere he turned. He brought his hatred back to his Romulan captor.

The guards shifted their hold on their batons in silent warning.

Mrrkek mumbled, "... Grabos."

== Interrogation Room 2 - Krrl ==

Krrl crashed his fist on the table leaving a small dent.

"Hey!" Cincinnati threatened, then turned to humor, "watch it... we just painted in here."

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" Krrl roared.

"Grabos," Toledo spoke. "That nothing?"

== Observation Room ==

The crewmen closed the line to the tiny comlink in Toledo's ear. Before her were a bank of viewscreens that could monitor any interrogation room but right now had only two up. She adjusted the audio for the two rooms trying to follow both conversations for pieces of info that could be fed to the respective interrogators.

\-- Greener/Williams... you can be in the room watching, issue orders to either Lura or Toledo/CPO Granger via comlink or join them directly ...as you please. --

*om*  
The corners of Grace's mouth slowly lifted into a small grin as she watched on. Krrl spat forward all sorts of profanities as Toledo kept his calm. ?Crewman,? Grace said, ?access our databases and look up anything we have on this ?Grabos? character.?

Returning her gaze on the view-screens she opened the secret comm-link with all three interrogators. ?Commander Williams here, continue your interrogations and try and find out as much about the individual named.? Closing the link to all except Lura she continued. ?Your subject appears more forthcoming Lieutenant. See if you can find any link to that bloody Marquis vessel we encountered. Report to main ops with your findings. Williams out.?

== Interrogation 1 - Mrrkek ==

*nm*  
Lura gave no outward sign that she had just received a communication, but kept her attention on Mrrkek. "Who is Grabos?"

"Our contact. Our orders came from him."

"Where is he?"

Mrrkek shook his head.

"You will have to do better than a name if you expect us to help you," Lura warned.

"I do not know who he is, no one does!" the Nausicaan persisted. "We never met in person, never saw him. Only messages, not even in his voice... so we could never identify him." He gave her a meaningful glare.

He could be lying but Lura doubted it. It had a ring of truth about and it. "Then how did you know the messages came from him?"

"Because," he answered, "they were in code-- his code."

The corner of her mouth curved upward slightly. *Finally, something substantial.* Lura walked over to a wall panel and activated it. "Show me."

The Nausicaan reluctantly entered in the encryption code. Standing behind him, Lura's eyes narrowed as the viewscreen created the frequency of the code he was inputting. She had seen it before. A memory suddenly flashed in her mind.

== Flashback ==

"That's the code they like to use," the Antican merchant bragged, his words slurring slightly. He took another swig of Romulan Ale. "Thought... --thought it was a great joke." He gave a toothy grin to the three Sub-Centurions crouched in the circle with him as if he expected them to get the humor. "It was Cardassian!" Then the canine-alien subsided into barks of laughter.

"Don't you get it?! They were using their own code against them!....... It was so old they didn't even recognize it anymore...!" When the young soldiers failed to give him the acknowledgement he thought he deserved, the Antican snorted, "Bah! You --you have noooo sense of humor. Might aazzzz well be Vulcans!"

It had meant nothing to her or her companions at the time. All that mattered back then was that merchant captains could always be counted on for a good game of dice... and to get drunk and brag about their exploits. It was a welcome diversion from long hours of sentry duty... provided their superior never found out.

== Minutes Later: Interrogation Room 2 - Krrl ==

Lura entered the room without ceremony. She and Krrl looked each other over taking the other's measure. It had been disappointing that the hot-headed Nausicaan had managed to get a rein on his temper before he said anything rash. So she came to try another tactic.

\--

"We cannot allow it," said the first.

The second shrugged. "But he will have no way of controlling it otherwise."

"If they do that, the thing would blast wide open."

"And the tachyon beams they are trying?"

The first growled. "It is too soon, damnit."

\--

Lura switched off the recording made of him on Starbase 47. "Your only way out of here is to tell me something better than your partner gave me."

Steadfast, Krrl spat, "If he has told you already, then there is nothing for me to say."

"I heard what he had to say. Now I want to hear what you have to say."

The silence lengthened until finally Lura conceded him the small victory. "Very well." To Toledo and Cincinnati, "Take him back to his cell... to think about it."

Lura started for the door. "Don't take too long. You know Starfleet's know-it-all scientists are working on it... if they figure it out the rest of it - and they will. They always do. They're annoying like that - and then, you won't be of any use to me."

The door opened and Lura paused to look Krrl in the eye. "More than that, of what use will you be to your associates?"

She left him with the implications of that question hanging in the air.

=== Bridge ===

*om*  
After being briefed on his way to the main operations area, Caymen felt like he could finally get on top of things. Williams, t'Ael, and the others had agreed to meet him there, after they were done interrogating the Nausicaans.

"Ms. t'Ael, keep security teams surrounding the decks T'Raina is on. She may need a hand."

*nm*  
"Yes, sir," Lura answered. "I have my second-in-command on it."

*om*  
"And what's this news on the Argus Array?"

Deryx stepped up. "Sir," he handed over a padd. "We picked up some signals from the Argus Array. Cardassian vessels, cloaked, but recently in the sector."

Greener sighed a deep sigh. "Dumat?"

"Not his vessel that we know of, but definately some from his group."

"And the array?"

"Ok so far. Nothing changed. Even the anomaly is still stagnant from when you were out there with the Talon."

Caymen nodded and paused briefly. "Ok, anything with the Nausicaans?"

*nm*  
"Yes, their contact man is named Grabos. We don't have anything on him, as of yet," Lura reported. "They never had personal contact with him, to prevent them from being able to ID him should they be taken captive. They communicated thru coded messages only. I was able to get the encryption for it."

Lura downloaded the code to the display screen. "It's an arcane Cardassian merchant code, dating back to when their species first became space faring. Apparently, it is universal for shippers to develop their own jargon language that only other merchants know. It fell out of use a long time ago until it was resurrected by someone with a sense of history.

"During the Dominion War, I chanced to meet a merchant captain who boasted that he had black-market dealings with the Maquis. They using that code. They loved the irony of using an all-but-forgotten Cardassian code against them.

"Unfortunately, they are still holding out about what they know about the anomaly. We can try again later," Lura concluded.

*om*  
Greener squinted his eyes, trying with difficulty to remember why that name seemed so familiar. "Grabos. I know that name. I just..." He shook his head. "Ugh. No matter. Let's take a short break and see if we hear from T'Raina. In three hours, let's meet back here and figure out what we can do next."

"Yes Captain." Grace said, assuming her position back by the large tactical grid where she took another look where the Cardassian traces were detected.

 

______________________  
NPC  
MCPO Domenici, Asst Chief of Security  
CPO Cnshogitltee "Cincinnati", Detention Security  
CPO Mutt "Toledo" Granger, Detention Security


End file.
